ByteDance launches Volcano Engine brand to offer TikTok ‘secret’ to businesses

ByteDance launched on Thursday its new Volcano Engine brand to offer the proprietary algorithm used to power TikTok’s personalised recommendations to more corporate clients, as the company seeks to expand beyond mainstay consumer products.

The algorithm is considered the “secret sauce” behind short-video app TikTok’s global success and was one of the focal points when China’s ByteDance was forced into talks to sell part of TikTok’s US operations last year following former President Donald Trump’s executive order.

China at the time had revised its export restrictions so that it would have a say over the potential transfer of TikTok’s algorithm to foreign buyers.

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday revoked the Trump order and ordered a new review of security concerns posed by the Chinese apps.